The Michigan Department of Attorney General (DAG) works tirelessly to protect and serve the people of Michigan. The DAG handles a wide range of legal matters from civil and criminal cases, to providing legal counsel to state agencies and officers, to advocating for crime victims.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General utilizes the services of Special Assistant Attorneys General from time to time when the unique circumstances of a particular case create the need for specialized services not currently available within the department.
The Michigan Attorney General has determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when.
The Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) investigates claims of innocence to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the offense.
In Michigan, a victim is an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.
Elder abuse happens when someone hurts, ignores, or takes advantage of an older adult. This may be someone who is of advanced age or is vulnerable and unable to protect themselves due to a mental or physical issues.
An expungement is a way to remove past offenses from your public record. Expansions under the “Clean Slate” laws include eligibility for up to three felonies and unlimited misdemeanors, excluding certain assault or weapons offenses and felonies that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
To investigate and prosecute hate crimes by following up on every credible tip and offer departmental resources to assist local and federal law enforcement partners in this effort.
The Michigan Attorney General is leading the fight against this horrific crime by prosecuting the state's first-ever criminal cases under state law banning human trafficking in Michigan. Victims of human trafficking are in bondage through force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.
Knowing how to guard your personal information is your first line of defense against identity theft.
Michigan workers enjoy a wide variety of legal protections regarding issues at work. There are a number of state and federal statutes that protect their wages, safety, and well-being.
Opioid addiction knows no social or economic barriers; it doesn’t care about race or gender. It claims young and old alike. The Michigan Department of Attorney General is committed to fighting this crisis.
Michigan Attorney General's robocall initiative is leading several efforts to protect Michigan residents from the billion plus robocalls made to them every year.
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq, provides that requesters can receive copies or make inspections of most public records of public bodies upon written request.
The Open Meetings Act (OMA) took effect January 1, 1977. In enacting the OMA, the Legislature promoted a new era in governmental accountability and fostered openness in government to enhance responsible decision making.1 Nothing in the OMA prohibits a public body from adopting an ordinance, resolution, rule, or charter provision that requires a greater degree of openness relative to public body meetings than the standards provided for in the OMA. 2
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First Assistant Attorney General
Danielle Russo Bennetts is a First Assistant Attorney General with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, supervising the Criminal Trial Division’s Victim’s Rights Section, which handles the division’s special victim’s cases. She has been with the department since 2019. She prosecutes cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and homicides, and supervises the division’s prosecution of human trafficking cases. She directs investigations into these cases, participates in Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings, consults with and provide technical assistance to prosecutors across the state on sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and homicide crimes, including the prosecution of no-body cases. Ms. Russo Bennetts has assigned to the department’s Catholic Church clergy abuse investigation, the Boy Scouts of America investigation, the Murdered or Missing Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Task Force, and the Native American Boarding School Project. She additionally participates as an expert trainer for the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM), sharing her experience, knowledge, and passion with other prosecutors and law enforcement across the state.
She has a wide variety of experience in prosecution, criminal law, training, management, and advocacy for victims of crimes. Prior to joining the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, Ms. Russo Bennetts served as the Director of the Violence Against Women Project, for the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM), training prosecutors across the state in the areas of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking cases. And prior to that, Ms. Russo Bennetts spent almost 15 years with the Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (WCPO) in Detroit, Michigan. At the time of her departure from the WCPO, she served as the supervising Lead Attorney of the Sexual Assault Team (SAT), managing a team of assistant prosecutors, while also vertically prosecuting cases involving crimes of Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, and Homicide. Ms. Russo Bennetts began her career with the WCPO in the Domestic Violence Unit, prosecuting both felony and misdemeanor cases, while working in conjunction with the Detroit Police Department Domestic Violence Task Force. Additionally, she has extensive felony trial experience, prosecuting all types of criminal cases, as well years of experience making charging decisions on warrants, and handling preliminary examinations in various district courts. She has handled many high profile, criminal cases, along with complex, multiple-defendant cases, cold case homicide, and cases involving serial offenders of sexual assault. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her dogs.
